Tire-protector.



R. A. WILLETT.

TIRE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. so, 1906.

1,040,246. Papentea 0ct.1,1912.

W5 TTURNEY UNITED STATES PATENT oFF foE;

nonnn'r A. WILLETT; or WARREN, onro, nssrenon or. ONE-HALF T nnwenn .r. MAXWELL AND ONE-HALF TO enonon iyr. noenson, BOTH or nos nnennns CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 3Q, 1906. serial No. 345,64

TIRE-PROTECTOR.

Patented' Qct. 1,1912,

70. all, w en i ar macaw.

- B 12; known tha 1,. Ro nn- A- Witt-arr, a citizen of the United States, and a' resient 0t W rre n the county or Trumbull- State. ct Ohio, have, invented a certain new and usetul Improvement in Tire-Proteotors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being made to, the accompanying drawings, form- 1,0, ing part of this specification.)

invention relates; to improvements in means for protectin 1 pneumatic tires, such sare commonly used on the wheels of automobiles, and the invention consists ot a tire- L 'r. protector; in which are embodied the features ot construct-ion, combinations and arrangements of parts, which are hereinatter described and: specified in, the laims.

On the accompanying sheet of drawings, q on, which like reference-numerals designate like. parts in diflierentv-iews, Figure 1 is a side and partlyv sectional view of a wheel and ot a tire-protector embodying the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a cross-section 'oithe tire.protector, and of a part of the pneumatic tire; Fig. 3, a plan of one of the internal parts of the protector; Fig. 4, an endelevation of parts. of; the protector; and Fig; 5, a section ofa fragment of the protector, illustrating details of the construction.

The wheel shown in Fig. 1 is of well known construction. It comprises the hub 1, spokes 2, rim 3 and pneumatic tire 1.

The particular protector which is shown in the drawings embodies the invention in its preferred form, yet certain features of this. structure, namely the lining, the perforations and the air-ducts hereinafter described, are applicable to protectors differing. from this in other respects to a considerable extent. This protector is composed ofan outer series of sections pivotally secured together, there being spaces between their ends, and of an inner series of thin metal sections forming a lining which extends across the spaces mentioncd and prevents the inner edges of the ends of the outer sections from chafing the tire. Each of the outer sections 5, which has the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with pairs of cars 6 and 7, which are formed on it next to its ends and lateral edges, and eachpair of ears 6 is pivoted by means of rivets 8. to the ears 7 of the next section, the.

inner faces. of the ears 6 being in, contact with the. outer faces of the, ears'Z. All of} the outer sections except two, which are des.-. ignated, by thenumeralsrt) and are eithe ;The. section 9. has at one end a pair 0t ears, on, .6 which are pivoted by rivets 8 to. the ears 7;" .f he. adjacent section 5, and. at the other end, of the section 9 are arms 11, extending from its. sides and having the formsshown,

in, Figs, 1 cl, 4. The section. 10 has a air of cars, 7 at, one, end which are pivotedg byrivets 8 to, the ears 6. of the adjacent section- 5, and on the section 10 at its other end are arms 12 extending from. itssides and havingthe forms shown in Figs. 1 and 4;. The arms; 1,1, which are. not quite so far apart as arethe arms 12, fit between the latter arms. (hen the protector is in use the arms 11 and 12 are held together by a bolt 13 as; they are shown in Figs. 1 and 4, there be; ing an arm 11 and an arm 12 on each, side of the tire and rim of thewheel, and the bolt passing through holes in the arms and being inside of'thc rim. A steel'rol-lei 14; is mounted on the bolt 13', and on a spoke oi the wheel is a metal block 15 which is tast on the spoke. The roller 14 normally makescontact with the rim 4 and with the block- 15. At the ends of each of the sections described andbetween it and the two proxi- .5, mate sections of the series are. narrow spaces 16, and each of these sections contains; perforations 17?. These sections may also. have on their sides projections or ribs 18 (Fi s and 2), andon the parts 19. ot thesectlons; 9.0, (Fig. 2) beads 20 extending lengthwise thereofi may be formed. Each of these sections is internally grooved from end to end, as appears for example in Figs. 2 and 4, which show two, grooves. 21, but there might be a single groove or more than two groevoit, The sections described may be formed from sheet-metal by. means of a press and The sections of the inner series forming the lining are all like thesingle section shown QQ in F g. 3. These sections 22 are formed from thin sheet-metal. This maybe steel and the sections may be coated wlth copper to prevent them from rusting. Each has on it hollow beads which extend from end to end of the section, two heads 23 being shown since there are two rooves 21 in each of the outer sections. T ere might be a single head on each section-22, or the number of beads might be greater than two The beads also prevent any'of these sections.

should there be more than two grooves 21 in each of the outer'sections. The sect-ions 22 are perforated as a-ppears'by Fig. 3, but the number or arrangement of the holes 24 the inner section is confined, the inner sides of the beads forming air-ducts 25 which ex- "tend around the tire. The grooves 21 and beads 23 prevent the sections 22 from working sidewise' out of their proper positions,

from working past the end of another. The spaces or recesses 16 enable the outer edges of the ends of the sections of the outer series to so act on the ground as to prevent or tend to prevent the wheel from slipping, and these spaces also expose portions of the thin inner sections 22 to contact with the atmosphere and with water, sand, etc., which will absorb and dissipate some of the heat generated by the action of the wheel on the ground, and so help to keep the tire from gettin dangei'ously hot. The perforations 17 an 24 and the air-ducts .25 also facilitate the action of air on the protector and tire in a manner calculated to reduce the efiect ofthelheat, for the perforations romote the ingress of air to the interior 0 the protector and its egress therefrom, and the air-ducts promote. the circulation of air between the tire andthe protector.

. While the tire illustrated herein is such as is commonly used on automobiles, it being composed of the thick and heavy outer member or case 26 and the thin inflatable tube 27 within the case (Fig. 2), probably the part 26of a tire made to be used with this protector might safely be reduced in thickness and weight;

The protector described is applied to a wheel when the tire is deflated. The sections'9 and 10 may be drawn together by means for example of a device resembling a clamp, so as to enable the bolt 13 to be readily passed through the holes in the arms 11 and 12. The protector is prevented from creeping on the tire by the contact of the roller 14 with the block 15, and as the tire yields, when the sections 9 and 10 make conincense each of the latter sections including parts which act on the adjacent sections ofthe series to prevent one section from slipping over another.

2. A tire-protector composed of a series of outer sections pivotally secured together, and a lining comprising a series of thin metal sections fittingto ether at their ends, each of the latter sect1ons including outwardly extending projections which act on the adjacent sections 'of the series to prevent one section from slipping over another.

3. A tirerotector composed of a seriesof outer sections pivotally secured together, and a lining comprising a series of thin metal sections fitting together at their ends,

each of the latter sections being internally grooved from end to end and each groove being even at its ends with grooves of the adjacent sections.

4. Atire-protector composed of aseries of outer sections pivotally secured together, ano a lining comprising a series of thin metal sections fitting together at their ends, each of the latter sections including an outwardly extending projection fitting in a recess in an outer section.

5. A tire-protector composed of a series of outer sections pivotally secured together, and a lining comprising a series of thin metal sections fitting together at their ends,

each of the latter sections including an outwardly extending projection fitting in recesses in adjacent outer sections.

6. A tire-protector composed of a series of outer sections pivotally secured together, and. a lining comprising a series of thin metal sections fitting together at their ends, each of the latter sections including outwardly extending projections fitting in recesses in adjacent outer sections.

7. A tire-protector composed of a series of sections ivotally secured together, and a thin metal lining which is unattached to said sections, the conformation of the lining to surfaces of saidsections rendering the pressure of the tire operative to keep the lining properly confined in the sections when the protector is in use.

8. A tire-protector composed of a series of sections pivotally secured together, said sections containing recesses in their inner faces, and a thin metal lining including parts which fit in said recesses.

9. A tire-protector composed .cf a series of sections pivotally secured together, said sections containing grooves in their inner faces, and a thin metal lining having on it hollow beads which fit in said grooves and which form air-ducts extending around the tire when the protector is in use.

10. A tire-protector composed of a series of outer sections pivotally secured together, each of said sections being internally grooved from end to endfand a lining coinprising a series of thin-metal sections, each of the latter sections extending from the inner surface of one of the outer sections to that of anotherouter section and having on "it a hollow beadfitting in the grooves in the outer sections.

11. A tire-protector composed of a series of outer sections pivotally secured together, each of said sections being perforated, and internally grooved from end to end, and

copies of this patent may be obtained for a lining comprising a series of perforated metal sections, each of the latter sections extending from the inner surface of one of the outer sections to that of another outer section, and having on it a hollow bead fitting in the grooves of the outer sections.

' ROBERT A. WILLETT. In the presence of- E. M. Wuus, CHARLns E. SMITH.

flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

